Suspension rack

ABSTRACT

A suspension rack in medical use, such as for the storage and suspension of cables (1) and/or tubes for equipment used in patient monitoring, anesthesia, and the like, said rack including a frame (2) provided with fastening means (3) for securing the frame to a substantially solid structure (4) and with frame-connected members for the suspension of cables and/or tubes. The frame (2) includes a bracket element (5). The members for the suspension of cables and/or tubes consist of a cluster of mutually parallel, side-by-side spacer elements (6), connected with the bracket element and spaced from each other by a distance which exceeds the thickness of a cable and/or tube yet is less than the dimension of a terminal element (7), such as a connector or a sensor unit, mounted on the end of a cable and/or a tube, transverse to the lengthwise direction of a cable and/or a tube, the cable and/or tube being mountable between two adjacent spacer elements with the terminal element finding its way to said two adjacent specer elements.

The present invention relates to a suspension rack as defined theclaims.

Prior known is a suspension rack in medical use. such as for the storageand suspension of cables and/or tubes for equipment used in patientmonitoring, anesthesia, and the like. The rack includes a frame providedwith fastening means for securing the frame to a substantially solidstructure and with frame-connected members for the suspension of cablesand/or tubes.

The handling of various cables and tubes is perceived by hospital staffas a major nuisance in terms of working with equipment and patients. Thepatient is often hooked up in a multitude of cables and tubes formonitoring and nursing the vital functions of a patient. The orderlymanagement of cables and tubes is difficult in conditions, whichconstantly require the attachment, detachment, removal, and cleaning ofcables and/or tubes.

When solving such problems, it is necessary to find ways and means forthe orderly management of cables during the use and non-use thereof.

A particular problem lies in the necessity of setting up the cables andtubes readily in a proper order between the using periods and during thecourse of and after cleaning operations. In addition, they must bereadily reusable without a hazard of entanglement or confusion.

A variety of attempts have been made to solve the above problems.Various arms have been used, mainly for guiding cables and tubes fromthe apparatus they are connected with to the application site thereof insuch a way that they do not sag in disarray on the floor to be trampledon. Such arms are often provided with a number of hinges for adjustingthe position thereof and with various holders or hooks for thesuspension of cables and tubes.

At least one of the problems with these solutions, in terms of theorderly management, storage, use, and cleaning of cables, is the pricethereof. In addition, it is possible that cables intertwine in suchequipment. The disengagement of cables from the arms and the attachmentthereof is tedious. Furthermore, such solutions require specialattachment points or elements suspended from the apparatus.

There are also a variety of hook solutions for the storage of cables andtubes, ranging from individual hooks to arrays of hooks, placed e.g. onthe wall or under the mattress. At least the following aspects can beconsidered as problems in such hook solutions. The hooks can be sharpand inflict injuries. A single hook can only be accommodated with asingle cable in order to maintain a good order, as several cables ortubes on top of each other may cause disarray. As for the arrys ofhooks, the spools of cable or tube do not keep in a manageable order andgenerally require a screw fastening for attaching the same to some solidstructure.

Crates and boxes, often used for storing cables and tubes, areinconvenient in occupying shelf or other space, are difficult to keepclean, and cables and tubes become entangled with each other.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

An object of the invention is to eliminate the above drawbacks.

A particular object of the invention is to introduce a suspension rack,on which the cables can be readily suspended without a hazard ofentanglement.

A further object of the invention is to introduce a suspension rack,which is attractive in terms of its price, versatile, safe, easy to use,durable, reasonably compact, easy to clean and, if necessary, fastenableto a variety of locations, such as horizontal and vertical surfaces andpipes.

A suspension rack of the invention is characterized by what is set forthin claim 1.

According to the invention, the frame includes a bracket element and theimplements for suspending cables and/or tubes include a cluster ofadjacent spacer elements, which are connected to the bracket element andspaced from each other by a distance that exceeds the thickness of acable and/or a tube and is less than the dimension of a terminalelement, such as a connector or a sensor unit, mounted on the end of acable and/or a tube, transverse to the lengthwise direction of a cableand/or a tube, said cable and/or tube being insertable between twoadjacent spacer elements with said terminal element finding its way tosaid two adjacent spacer elements.

An advantage gained by the invention is that individual cables and/ortubes can be suspended on the rack in an orderly fashion without ahazard of entanglement or confusion. In addition, the rack is attractivein terms of its price, versatile, safe, easy to use, durable, reasonablycompact, and easy to clean.

In one embodiment of the rack, the bracket element is adapted to supporta cable and/or a tube from below.

In one embodiment of the rack, the spacer elements are parallel to eachother.

In one embodiment of the rack, the frame includes a hook, which islocated beside the cluster of spacer elements and on which hook a cable,a spool of cable, a tube and/or a spool of tube is suspendable.

In one embodiment of the rack, the frame includes two hooks, which aremounted on either side of the cluster of spacer elements.

In one embodiment of the rack, the fastening means include two mutuallyparallel, spaced-apart fingers and a mounting fastenable to a solidstructure and including fasteners which are adapted to receive thefingers therein. In one embodiment of the rack, the mounting is madefrom a thin sheet metal and the mounting sheet is provided with abending line for bending the mounting to an angular form therealong.

In one embodiment of the rack, the solid structure, to which themounting is fastened, comprises a pipe, a pole or the like; the mountingis a U-shaped element adapted to receive the pipe, the pole or the liketherein; and the mounting is provided with a clamping screw forfastening the mounting to the pipe, the pole or the like thereby.

In one embodiment of the rack, the frame is constituted by a metal wireor a plastic wire.

In one embodiment of the rack, the spacer elements are constituted by ametal wire or a plastic wire.

In one embodiment of the rack, the spacer elements are in the form of aloop.

In one embodiment of the rack, the suspension rack includes a bracket,which is removably suspendable on a loop-shaped spacer element and onwhich bracket a spool of cable is removably mountable.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS

The invention will now be described in detail by means of applicationexamples with reference made to the accompanying drawing, in which

FIG. 1 shows a rack of the invention in a first embodiment,

FIG. 2 shows the embodiment of FIG. 1 with cables suspended on the rack,

FIG. 3 shows the embodiment of FIG. 1 with a spool of cable suspended onthe rack,

FIGS. 4 and 5 show a rack of the invention in a second embodiment,

FIG. 6 shows the embodiment of FIG. 5 mounted on the end of anarticulated arm, and

FIG. 7 shows a rack of the invention in a third embodiment.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

FIG. 1 illustrates a suspension rack in medical use, such as for thestorage and suspension of cables 1 and/or tubes employed in patientmonitoring, anesthesia, etc. The rack includes a frame 2, provided withfastening means 3 for securing the frame 2 to a substantially solidstructure 4 and with implements mounted on the frame for the suspensionof cables and/or tubes.

The frame 2 includes a bracket element 5, which is adapted to supportthe cable 1 and/or the tube from below, as shown in FIG. 2. In additionto the bracket element 5, said implements include a cluster or an arrayof mutually parallel adjacent spacer elements 6 mounted on the bracketelement. The spacer elements 6 are spaced from each other by a distanceexceeding the thickness of a cable and/or a tube. However, this distanceis less than the dimension of a terminal element 7, such as a connectoror a sensor unit, transverse to the lengthwise direction of a cableand/or a tube, said terminal element being mounted on the end of a cableand/or a tube. Thus, as shown in FIG. 2, the cable and/or the tube canbe placed between two adjacent spacer elements 6 to rest upon thebracket element 5, said terminal element 7 finding its way to said twoadjacent spacer elements 6 without being able to slip out through thegap between the spacer elements.

As shown in FIGS. 1-3, the frame two includes two hooks 8, arranged oneither side of the cluster of spacer elements 6. The hook 8 can be usedfor suspending therefrom a cable, a spool of cable, a tube and/or aspool of tube, as shown in FIG. 3.

As shown in FIG. 1, the fastening means 3 for securing the frame 2 tothe substantially solid structure 4 include two mutually substantiallyparallel, spaced-apart fingers 9. Furthermore, the fastening means 3include a mounting 10, fastenable to the solid structure 4 and providedwith fasteners 11 which are adapted to receive therein the fingers 9. InFIGS. 1-3, the mounting 10 comprises an element, wherein the fasteners11 are in the form of vertical holes having a sufficient depth forreceiving the fingers 9.

The spacer elements 6 are loop-shaped, in this case, for the reasons ofsafety, shaped like a round-cornered triangular loop. The loop need notnecessarily be a closed loop, but it can also be open in such a way thatthere is a gap between the ends of a loop-forming bent wire or rod, withthe ends coming very close to each other. The gap may be located at therear of a loop. The loops can also be given any other shape, e.g. asquare, rectangular, elliptical, or circular shape. The spacer element 6can be fastened to the bracket element 5 of the frame 2 in the front of,in the back of, above, or below the same. The spacer element loop 6 hasa vertical height which is at least equal to the diameter of a cable ortube to be suspended therefrom. Likewise, it has a dimension forwardwhich is preferably at least equal to the diameter of a cable or tube tobe suspended therefrom.

As depicted in FIG. 3, the suspension rack is also provided withsuspenders 14, in this case adhesive tapes. The adhesive tape suspenderis removably suspendable upon the loop-shaped spacer element 6. A spoolof cable is in turn removably fastenable to this adhesive tape suspender14. The bottom edge of the spacers 6 is fitted with adhesively grippingtape fasteners, which can be provided side by side with a number ofbundles of cable or tube equal to that of the spacers. The adhesivetapes are manufactured in such a manner that one end thereof,constituting a shorter hook portion, can be readily wound around thebottom wire of the spacer 6 and the remaining free, downward hangingadhesive portion can be opened and closed around a spool of cable ortube. If the adhesive tape 14 has a width of about 25-50 mm, thedimensions of the loop 6 will be sized in view of allowing the adhesivetape to extend through the loop.

FIGS. 4 and 5 depict a suspension rack embodiment which, in terms of thecluster of spacer elements 6, is structurally essentially similar to theembodiment of FIGS. 1-3. The hooks 8 are positioned somewhat lower thanin FIGS. 1-3. What is essential is that the mounting 10 is made of athin sheet metal. The fastener 11 is provided by punching in the sheettwo parallel elongated holes 16 and by stretching the sheet sectiontherebetween outwards for pushing the finger 9 therebehind. The mounting10 of FIG. 10 can be fastened to a vertical wall. The mounting plate 10is provided with a bending line 12 weakened by elongated holes 17, alongwhich the mounting plate 10 is foldable to the angular shape of FIG. 5to be mountable on the edge of a flat surface.

In FIG. 6, the suspension rack of FIG. 5 is mounted on the free end ofan articulated arm 15.

In FIG. 7, the solid structure 4, to which the mounting 10 is secured,comprises a pipe, a shaft, or the like. In this case, the mounting 9includes a U-shaped section, which is adapted to receive the pipe, theshaft, or the like between U-legs 18, 19, such that the U-legs extendaround the opposite sides of the pipe, the shaft, or the like. Inaddition, one leg 18 of the mounting 10 is provided with a manualclamping screw 13, which can be turned for pressing the screw pointagainst the outer surface of the pipe, the shaft, or the like.

In the above examples, the frame 2 can be made of a metal rod or wire ora plastic wire. Likewise, the spacer elements 6 can be made of a metalwire or a plastic wire. The frame and spacer elements can be made of ametal wire or rod. Advantageously, the metal wire makes it possible tobuild a rack by folding it to appropriate configurations. Since thequestion is about a device intended primarily for hospital use, it is anadvantage if such a device can also be easily cleaned and, if necessary,sterilized. Therefore, the rack frame, as well as its spacers, can beentirely coated with a washable and sterilization-resistant material.

The above-described suspension rack with its various fastening elementsoffers a plurality of advantages. The rack provides flexible attachmentpossibilities to a variety of vertical or horizontal surfaces and pipesas well as to a cable arm. A variety of possibilities for the suspensionand storage of cables: individual, freely hanging cables, spools ofcable either for the frame hooks of a bracket element or for loops ofadhesive tape, and the accommodation of major spool assemblies of cablebehind a row of spacers. When the rack is manufactured from a bent metalwire, the manufacturing costs will be attractive. The rack is easy toclean. The suspension rack is resistant to EtO- and autoclavesterilization.

The bracket element for cables and tubes in a suspension rack can befastened to a wide variety of sites, partially regardless of the size orshape of the site. This is achieved in such a manner that the systemincludes separate fastening elements for the bracket element. There is afastening element for pipe mounting (FIG. 7) as well as for levelmounting on vertical surfaces (FIG. 4) or on vertical and horizontalsurfaces (FIG. 5). The fastening elements can be secured to theirattachment sites by means of a manual screw (a pipe), a two-sided tapeor screws (surfaces) or directly by means of a threaded attachment (theend portion of a cable arm, FIG. 6).

The mounting plate shown in FIG. 4 can be fastened to a horizontal flatsurface either on top or bottom by means of a separate two-sided tape orby screwing. When the plate is mounted on a horizontal surface, its topportion must be folded by means of bending holes included therein overthe edge of the flat surface in such a manner that the holes included inthe leading edge of the plate will be in a vertical position. Whenmounting on a vertical surface, the plate need not be bent.

The invention is not limited to cover just the above exemplaryembodiments, but a multitude of modifications are conceivable within theinventive concept defined in the appended claims.

What is claimed is:
 1. A rack for receiving a plurality of elongatedconnecting lines of medical equipment, the connecting lines extending,in use, in proximity to each other and being subject to entanglementwith each other, the rack arranging the connecting lines in an orderlyfashion to avoid such entanglement, the connecting lines ending interminal elements having a dimension transverse to the direction ofextension of the lines greater than the thickness of the lines, saidrack comprising:a frame (2) having fastening means (3) for securing theframe to a structure (4), said frame including an elongated bracketelement (5) lying generally horizontally when the rack is in use, saidframe being formed to space said bracket element from the structure; anda plurality of discrete side-by-side spacer elements (6) mounted atspaced intervals along said elongated bracket element (5), said spacerelements and bracket element being formed to allow the connecting linesto be received between said spacer elements for being supported by saidbracket element and to extend away from the rack in an orderly fashionin a direction normal to the structure, the spacer elements extendinggenerally vertically from said bracket element and being spaced fromeach other along the bracket element by a distance which exceeds thethickness of the connecting lines but is less than the transversedimension of the terminal elements.
 2. The rack according to claim 1wherein said plurality of discrete spacer elements are formed frommaterial strips bent in a closed shape and in a vertical plane, each ofsaid spacer elements being fastened to said bracket element at a pointalong the length of said material strip, said spacer elements extendingvertically and horizontally from said bracket element.
 3. The rackaccording to claim 2 wherein said spacer elements are formed of materialstrips bent in the shape of triangles and fastened to said bracketelement along one of the sides of the triangles.
 4. The rack accordingto claim 1 wherein said spacer elements lie generally parallel to eachother.
 5. The rack according to claim 2 wherein said spacer elements begenerally parallel to each other.
 6. The rack according to claim 2wherein said spacer elements are formed of metal or plastic wire.
 7. Therack according to claim 1 wherein said bracket element is formed ofmetal or plastic wire.
 8. The rack according to claim 1 wherein saidframe has a hook adjacent to said plurality of spacer elements suitablefor receiving a connecting line.
 9. The rack according to claim 8wherein said frame has a pair of hooks, one of which is located adjacentto either side of said spacer elements.
 10. The rack according to claim1 wherein said spaced, discrete spacer elements occupy a portion of thelength of said bracket element and wherein said bracket element includesa hook formed in said bracket element outside the occupied portion ofsaid bracket element, said hook being suitable for receiving a coiledconnection line.
 11. The rack according to claim 2 further including asuspender (14) which is removably suspendable from a spacer element forremovably receiving a coil of connecting line.
 12. The rack according toclaim 1 wherein said fastening means of said frame comprises a pair ofmutually parallel, spaced-apart fingers (9) and a mounting means (10)attachable to a solid structure and provided with means (11) adapted toreceive the fingers therein.
 13. The rack according to claim 12 whereinsaid mounting means is made of a thin sheet material provided with abending line (12) for bending said mounting means therealong.
 14. Therack according to claim 12 wherein said mounting means (10) comprises aU-shaped element adapted to receive a tubular element and provided withclamping means for fastening the mounting means to the tubular element.